Restaurants Waste Nearly Half a Kilo of Food Per Diner in UK

11 October 2010 The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) has unveiled the results of its latest survey that suggest the average UK restaurant creates almost half a kg of food waste for every diner that passes through its doors. The survey was carried out by placing three food waste bins (labelled: 'PLATE WASTE', 'PREP WASTE' and 'SPOILAGE') in each of ten of the associations member restaurants, and asking kitchen staff to collect food waste accordingly over a two-day period. The aim of the survey was to identify how much food waste is generated by restaurants and pinpoint food waste 'hotspots' - the ratio of different types of restaurant food waste that combine to produce a total restaurant food waste figure per year. The Results of the Survey revealed: PREP WASTE: 65% of food waste comes from preparation - peelings, off cuts and anything ruined PLATE WASTE: 30% of food waste comes back from customers' plates SPOILAGE: 5% of food waste if classified as out-of-date or unusable items WASTE/DINER: Participating restaurants produced an average of 0.48kg of food waste per diner The SRA said that it took its Food Waste Survey one step further by costing up how much restaurants could save if they reduced their food waste by just 20%. These calculations were made using food waste collection costs from participating restaurants and research by waste consultancy LRS. The survey showed that: An average restaurant could save between £150 and £1,700 a year on waste collection costs, by reducing its food waste by 20% - and that's not including the money spent on the food in the first place Over 4 tonnes of waste per restaurant could be reduced each year. According to the SRA: 'Research shows that due to a rise in Landfill Tax, it will soon be cheaper for restaurants to compost food waste on site or have it collected for composting or anaerobic digestion than to send it to landfill. When restaurants consider that they're effectively paying twice for the food they serve - once for purchasing it and again when paying to have it taken a way for waste - reducing food waste becomes a no brainer for helping the planet and profits.' he SRA works with a number of expert organisations such as WRAP, LRS and Sustain to provide up-to-date tips and advice to its Members on topics such as food waste. Restaurants have full access to this advice and to various consultancy options when they become Members of the SRA via the Members-only portal of the association's website.